Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the bacon and saute for 2 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, andouille, and ham hock and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Essence and stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 1/2 hours, until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and parsley, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Discard the ham hock and bay leaves. Remove 1 cup of beans from the pot and reserve.

With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor, puree the red beans. Add the Sherry and reserved beans, and stir well. To serve, ladle a generous cup of the soup into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 1/4 cup of the rice and 1 tablespoon of green onions.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.